>Not so much with the safety catches--SOP for single-action
>six-shooters, esp. with the cap-and-ball models, was to load five
>cylinders and carry it with the hammer down on the vacant sixth
>cylinder. Even if you drop it, it won't go off; being a single-action
>pistol, you have to cock the hammer in order to get it to a place
>where you can pull the trigger. It would take some considerable
>pocket gymnastics to elicit a fireable state on a single-action
>revolver accidentally.
>

IIRC, a lot of them would use the empty cylinder to store spare cash, as well.

"They planned their campaigns just as you might make a splendid piece of harness. It looks very well; and answers very well; until it gets broken; and then you are done for. Now I made my campaigns of ropes. If anything went wrong, I tied a knot; and went on."
-- Arthur Wellesley, First Duke of Wellington